If you have a shoe-free policy, it"s a good idea to warn visitors in advance so they are sure to wear their best socks. In many German homes, this is the norm. You will notice rows of shoes neatly lined up outside apartment doors.
So why do ... people enforce such rules?
One of the main reasons relates to dirt and germs that are carried on your shoes. When you think of where you stand throughout the day, the amount of dirt and bacteria on shoes is really quite shocking. So for people with kids crawling around, picking stuff up and eating everything within arms reach, shoe-free makes sense.
Another argument in favour of a shoe-free home is comfort. This argument doesn"t bode well when you are just too paranoid about the holes in your socks to be comfortable. If you live in an apartment with wooden floors, your neighbours will appreciate the no shoes policy when your stilletoed visitors call by. A barefoot visitor won"t damage those floorboards.
